Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Franklin TV - studio update

The local cable channel for Franklin switched from being operated by the town to a separate 501c(3) organization during 2012. They purchased to former market building at 23 Hutchinson St and are in the process of doing their renovations to make it a state of the art media studio.

FranklinTV_2
Franklin.tv


The roof is being replaced.

FranklinTV_3
roof work underway

Once the roof is complete, interior work will begin. There will also be built a smaller building behind this one as I recall to provide garage space for their truck and equipment.


FranklinTV_4
roof first, then interior

Have you visited Franklin.tv online yet?

Hockomock Football and Volleyball All-Stars

The Hockomock Sports.Com has announced the All-Stars for football and volleyball as voted on by the league coaches. Griffin Tighe represents Franklin for football. Lauren Irvine and Dayna McCue represent Franklin for volleyball.

You can review the full football listing here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/1/post/2013/11/hockomock-league-2013-football-all-stars.html

the full volleyball listing here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/1/post/2013/11/hockomock-league-2013-volleyball-all-stars.html


Patriots Raffle tickets - benefit the Franklin Food Pantry

This is a pretty good deal! With a limited number of tickets to be sold by Sunday, Dec 1 your chances can be good.



Raffle tickets available at
Team Fitness Franklin
M-Th 5am-9pm, Fri 5am-7:30pm, Sat 7am-3pm
100 Franklin Village Drive, Franklin

Franklin Food Pantry 
43 W. Central St, Franklin
Tu-Fri 9am-1pm

Investigative Report - WCVB

WCVB - Channel 5 had this investigative report recently.



The text accompanying the video can be found here

You may recall the incident from the opening of school this year
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/09/talking-about-elephant-in-room.html

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/make-sure-due-process-occurs.html

Monday, November 25, 2013

Thanksgiving - much to be thankful for

The Franklin Food Pantry is able to perform its service due to the gracious and giving community of donors and volunteers. The next several weeks are the busiest time of the year as the holidays bring out the giving spirit. The Food Pantry is poised to serve, to give, to share, and to collect.

Turkey Trot Family 5K
1 - The Turkey Trot 5K Family Fun Run and Walk will be held bright and early Thanksgiving morning. Registration can be done online here. The registration fee is $20 per person or 20 items for the Food Pantry.  

2 - For Patriot fans, we are holding a raffle for a chance to win 5 luxury box seats and a parking pass for the Dec 8th game. Tickets are available at the Food Pantry or contact me directly. The raffle winner will be announced Sunday Dec 1 at 4:00 PM.

3 - The Franklin Food Elves will be collecting for the Food Pantry in their annual "12 Days of Giving" campaign.  "More than 60 Food Elves will be collecting goods in neighborhoods around Franklin. If you don't have an Elf in your neighborhood, you can still participate in our food drive! Look for the red collection bins at these participating FDP member businesses:

  • DCU, 500 West Central St.
  • Dean Bank, 21 Main St. 
  • Dean College, Campus Center
  • Emma's Quilt Cupboard, 12 Main St.
  • Franklin Downtown Partnership Office, 9 East Central St.
  • Jane's Frames, 11 East Central St.
  • Murphy Business, 15 East Central St.
  • Pour Richard's Wine & Spirits, 14 Grove St.
For additional information on the Food Elves visit here

4 - The dramatic performance of "The Christmas Carol Times Two" returns this year on Thursday, Dec 12th. Maybe you heard good things about this sellout performance last year. Get your tickets early this year. The easiest way is to buy your tickets online here. Or you could stop by the Food Pantry.

Franklin Food Pantry
5 - Finally, the Food Pantry webpage has updated its donation widget. You can donate securely online using a credit card or via an electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a bank account. You can make a one time or set up a recurring payment.  You can find the donation widget on the Food Pantry webpage or here on Franklin Matters. (Either way, the transaction is processed directly to the Food Pantry. The link here simply makes it easier to do so).

Thank you!

The exterior of the new FHS building is almost closed up

Sunday was a windy and cold day to walk but the sun was fully out providing good light to take pictures. The new high school building appears to have only a few bricks left to place and some openings to close up. The construction was reported to be on schedule and on budget at the last update by School Building Committee Chair, Tom Mercer.

FHS_Profile_2
from the distance

FHS_Profile_1
getting closer

FHS_Profile_3
and closer still to see the details


FHS_Profile_4
the gymnasium section exterior is almost enclosed

FHS_Profile_5
an angle view across the front and main entrance

FHS_Profile_6
closer to the front and main entrance
This will add to the series of updates to show the progress on construction. You can find all the updates here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/collection-high-school-building-project.html

How breezy was it Sunday?

Breezy enough so that all the flags around the memorials on the Town common were pegged out straight!

Franklin_HowBreezy
flags around the monuments on the Town Common


In the News: hockey boosters, play group

Franklin Boys Hockey Boosters holding gift cards fundraiser

Looking for a great holiday gift? The Franklin High School Boys Hockey Boosters and Incontro Restaurant in Franklin are once again teaming up to bring supporters a discount offer for the holiday season.

Temple Etz Chaim offers play group

Temple Etz Chaim welcomes families with children ages birth through pre-school to join its new Tiny Tots play group.


Sunday, November 24, 2013

Cook's Farm - about to be changed

With the zoning bylaw changes approved, Cook's Farm will eventually be changed from what we see today. The developer will still need to go through the approval process with the Planning Board and others before the work begins. I captured some photos a couple of weeks ago to preserve the record of what we see today.


CooksFarm4
entering Franklin


CooksFarm5
individual home next to the farm stand



CooksFarm3
farm stand view


CooksFarm2
farm stand view 2



CooksFarm1
Cook's Farm as you leave Franklin


The Town Council first reading discussion
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/09/divided-council-moves-zoning-bylaw.html

and the second reading where the zoning bylaw passed by the required number of votes
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/10/ichigo-ichie-cooks-farm-and-bunch-of.html



In the News: medical marijuana, snow preparations, transient students

7 firms seek to dispense medical marijuana in area

The following business have applied for Framingham: Massachusetts Compassionate Patient Care Corp., Patient Alliance Wellness Center Inc., Mass Relief, Prime Wellness of MA Inc. and 1 Releaf, Inc. Two businesses, Baystate Medical Enterprises Inc. and Commonwealth BioPharm Inc., will be seeking permits in Franklin.

Local towns gearing up for the snow

Following a winter in which the governor issued a "shelter in place" warning for the first time since the Blizzard of '78, the state and utilities are taking steps to prepare for the snows to come this storm season.

Transient students pose problems for districts

Every year, on a morning in late August or early September, thousands of students across the region step off the bus to start their first day of school. Around 180 school days later, they'll say goodbye for another summer.


"comply with city and town ordinances, regulations and bylaws"

The medical marijuana application process is moving along at the state level and Franklin prepared by defining an overlay zone for medical marijuana in the industrial park areas of town.

Bio-Care Collaborative Inc. has met with various town officials, including the police and fire chiefs, over its proposal for a dispensary at 122 Grove St., within an area sited to allow for the cultivation and sale of medical marijuana. 
"Good luck with your Phase II application," wrote Health Director David McKearney and Board of Health Chairman Bruce Hunchard, "and we look forward to having Bio-Care join our business community." 
According to a letter dated Nov. 19, Bio-Care would grow the medical marijuana sold at the Franklin facility in another community. However, the town indicated that it would have "no objection" to the nonprofit also opening a cultivation center here, as long as it meets the zoning restrictions.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x348811421/Franklin-supports-medical-marijuana-vendor#ixzz2lZ0Gs1tT

zoning discussion in Jan 2013
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/01/live-reporting-medical-marijuana-zoning.html


Saturday, November 23, 2013

DelCarte Playground - construction progress

I got out to the DelCarte Property last weekend to grab some photos of the new playground under construction. As reported here earlier, this work was approved by the Town Council as part of the repairs to the dam. Work remains to complete the playground and work remains to add some formal trails through the property to make it more accessible and enjoyable for Franklin residents and visitors.


The Town Council approval of the work occurred in March
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/03/delcarte-recreation-proposal.html



DelCarte_Playground1
Playground - walk around

DelCarte_Playground2
Playground - walk around - stairs and slides

DelCarte_Playground3
playground walk around - that it looks like a tree fits nicely with the area

DelCarte_Playground4
playground  walk around - side view

DelCarte_Playground5
playground - yes, there'll be swings!

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playground - facing Pleasant St, my back it to the water

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playground - corner view

DelCarte_Playground8
playground - completed the walk around - good place to start/end with

Other visits to the DelCarte space have produced video and photos including these samples

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/10/delcarte-open-space-photo-essay.html

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/delcarte-property-summer-time.html

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/12/delcarte-property-video.html


Reminder: Library Book Sale - Nov 23 - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Reminder: The Library has announced another book sale for Saturday, Nov 23.




In the News: decorate downtown, play hockey

Downtown Partnership, Garden Club to decorate downtown

The Franklin Downtown Partnership will join the Franklin Garden Club to decorate the downtown for the holidays on Sunday, Nov. 24. Any and all helpers are welcome.


Learn to skate, play hockey in Franklin

Franklin Youth Hockey is offering Learn to Skate and Learn to Play Hockey programs starting Dec. 1.



Friday, November 22, 2013

Franklin’s downtown would be a candidate for designation as a "cultural district."

The Milford Daily News reports on a visit by the MA Cultural Council Director on Thursday
"This is very exciting: This community sees the arts as central not only to the quality of life for the people who live here, but it also sees the arts as essential for a top quality education and essential for the vitality of its downtown," said Anita Walker, appointed as the state’s highest-ranking cultural official in 2007. 
Walker's last stop on her first trip to Franklin was the downtown Franklin School for the Performing Arts. Upon seeing the school, she walked through the proposed space for the Franklin Performing Arts Company’s new theater on West Central Street. 
The nonprofit will open a 250-seat "black box" style venue in the spring.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x915446832/Officials-laud-Franklin-s-embrace-of-the-arts#ixzz2lN8LKhr0

The future home of the "Black Box Theater" for the Franklin School for the Performing Arts would be located here

future home of "The Black Box"
future home of "The Black Box"